How much sleep should I get each night?

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Bababam (1:26)

Experian Bababam How much sleep should I get each night?

Thanks for asking. We spend over a third of our lives sleeping. Sleep allows our mind and body to recharge, which is vital for a number of reasons. It helps our immune system to ward off diseases and the brain to function properly. And yet as many as 16 million adults in the UK suffer from sleepless nights, according to estimates from the Office for National Statistics, you may have noticed that your own optimal sleep duration is different from that of other people you know well, like family members or friends. But some things are common to all of us, in particular the regularity and quality of sleep that we get, which are very important pillars in reaping the benefits of good sleep. What are the health risks if you don't sleep enough? 45% of those aged 25 to 45 believe they don't get as much sleep as they need. That's a lot when you consider that poor sleep or a lack of sleep increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, cancer and accidents. It also increases irritability and depression, as well as weight gain, high blood pressure and infection. Losing out on sleep increases the risk of getting a cold by 4%.

But actually, sleeping more than 9 hours a night also increases that risk. So it's not simply a case of getting as much sleep as you possibly can. What's the minimal advised length of sleep? Between 7 and 9 hours, as regular listeners will know, we go through several rounds of the sleep cycle over the course of a night. A single round lasts around 90 minutes on average, meaning we get from 4 to 6 each night. Breaking that down further, the sleep cycle consists of 4 stages. We alternate between light sleep and REM sleep. Brain and body activity varies from stage to stage. As a general rule, it's best to go to sleep and get up at the same time each day. You can use a sleep app diary like Shuttai to monitor your routine and improve it.

Why do some people need more sleep than others then? The 7 to 9 hour range is admittedly quite wide. It's believed that genetics has a part to play. And some of us are simply predisposed to need more sleep than others. However, if you get over 9 hours sleep per night and still feel tired during the day, a sleep disorder might be to blame. You should see your GP to work out what's going on. They may refer you to a specialized sleep center. A German study published in the Frontiers in Neuroscience Journal in February 2023, found that people with sleep difficulties get more REM sleep in the winter than in the other season. That could be down to lower exposure to light in the winter as the days are shorter. The researchers speculated that this may also apply to people with healthy sleep patterns and said that the study should be replicated.

There you have it.

Now you know how much sleep you should get each night. In under 3 minutes we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know it for sure.